Democrats Force Delay On Alito Vote

That’s the word from this Washington Post story, which will be played out in every other newspaper today, the news from the Senate this week. In other words, the Senate can’t get its work done. In the face of all-but certain confirmation, the Democrats in the Senate have decided to stall. This first of all violates a gentleman’s agreement made Senator Leahy (D-VT), ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, to Committee Chair Specter (R-PA) to mvoe this to a swift Committee vote. It’s the Senate equivalent of taking your ball and going home — for a week — because you’re about to lose the game.

We’ve said it here in this space many, many times — and the Post editorial page agrees: Judge Alito is eminently qualified to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. It is the President’s prerogative to appoint the men and women he feels are most qualified and for the Senate to provide advice and consent, not obstruction.

We know most blog readers support Judge Alito. From this space, you have logged in hundreds of e-mails to the Senate urging his confirmation. But for those who do not, isn’t it at least fair to let the man have an up-or-down vote, tally the votes at day’s end and move on?

As we saw in Senator Hatch and Grassley’s comments last week — men with decades of experience at this confirmation game — the level of discourse just keeps sinking. The Democrats aren’t helping when someone as qualified as Judge Alito is forced to wait. Poll s show overwhelming support for his confirmation. The Democrats ought be careful not to overplay their hand here bending over backwards to curry favor with their far-left constituencies.

Please drop your Senators a note to tell them you’re watching and you want them to get on with their Constitutional duties and put the Alito nomination to a swift up-or-down vote.